Method of making eyelets and other articles.



1-. G. NEUBERTI-I.

METHOD OF MAKING EYELETS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 25, 1904.

99, 71 Patented Junfi 9, 1914;

W%@MWW 7; W134 /ZM MZJQMM/L NITED STATES OFFICE.

FRANKLIN G. NEUBERTH, 0F WATERVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNITEDFAST COLOR EYELET COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF MAKING EYELETS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN G. NEU- nnn'rn,a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vaterville, in the countyof New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certainImprovements in Methods of Making Eyelets and other iltrticles,of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatinglike parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improved method of making eyelets and otherarticles which are provided with coverings of plastic or other material.

The invention has for its object to facilitate the manufacture of sucharticles and render their production more rapid and economical, and tothis end it consists in imparting to a blank a shape for forming thedesired article and securing covermg material to the article.

T11 carrying out the invention as herein described a blank is shaped bypressure into the required form and the covering material is atsubstantially the same time pressed upon the article for securing it inplace.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of an eyelet blank which I prefer to use.rig. 2 is a perspective view of a mass of covering material. Fig. 3 is asectional view of the blank and covering material in position to beunited. Fig. i is a similar view after the ope "ation of pressing thecovering material onto the partially formed flange of the blank andspreading the flange has been commenced. Fig. 5 is a sectional view ofthe eyelet after the operation has been completed and the coveringmaterial molded about the flange. Figs. (5 and 7 show a mechanism whichmay be employed in practising this invention.

In practising my novel method in the manufacture of eyelets I prefer touse an eyelet blank such as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, althoughany other convenient form of blank may be used. The blank showncomprises a barrel 2 and a partially formed flange 4c. The eyelet blankof whatever form is shaped by pressure to complete its formation, which,in the instance illustrated, consists in further outturning thepartially formed flange and at the same time, or substantially the sametune, that Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1904.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Serial No. 205,368.

the shaping of the blank is taking place a portion of covering material,which conveniently may be shaped as shown at 6 in the drawing, ispressed upon the flange to secure it thereto. It will thus be seen thatat a single operation the body portion of the eyelet is formed and thecovering material is attached to its flange.

In the specific example herein shown the covering material is pressedagainst the partially formed flange of the eyelet blank to cause theflange to cut into it, while at the same time, or substantially the sametime, the flange is expanded or further outturned. This operation isillustrated in Figs. & and 5 of the drawings. The expanding or spreadingof the flange may be effected by the pressure of the covering materialagainst it, or by a suitably shaped tool engaging the eyelet near thebase of the flange; but preferably by both of these forces actingtogether. In the instance herein shown the flange tends to curl downwardas it is spread against the covering material so that it becomesinterlocked with the covering material in such manner that evenif thecovering material should become cracked transversely of the flange thesegment shaped pieces cannot readily be detached from the flange. Asshown, the flange enters the covering material obliquely, whereby thecoveringmaterial becomes distributed or located properly upon theopposite sides of the flange and the flange so embedded in the materialthat its edge is entirely inclosed and covered. Preferably the coveringmaterial is molded to shape its exterior surface, and this may, andpreferably will, be done at the same time that it is attached to theflange of the eyelet.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the dies constituting one form ofmechanism by which the method above described of making eyelets may becarried out, these dies, together with suitable mechanism for operatingthem to carry out the present method forming parts of the machinecovered by a companion application, Serial No. 205,369, filedconcurrently herewith. In these figures of the drawings 10 and 12indicate dies for applying pressure to the eyelet blank and coveringmaterial to force the edge of the partially formed flange into thecovering material, and, preferably, thereby spread the flange. The die10 has a central recess to receive the eyelet blank and the die 12 hasan annular recess for receiving the covering material. The die 12 alsohas a central projection 200 to enter the barrel of the eyelet blankprovided with an enlarged, tapering portion ZO-l between which and thebase 8 of the partially formed flange the covering becomes wedged as thedies are brought together. The tapering face,acting through thiscovering material, aids in spreading the flange of the eyelet. The diesalso have cooperating faces for molding the covering material during theattaching operation.

As fully disclosed in my companion application, above referred to, thewasher of covering material is supported at its outer and inner curvededges by the enlarged tapering portion QOl and the outer face 205 of theannular recess of the die 12, and the flange of the eyelet blank restsupon the washer, prior to the attaching operation. One of the dies, asthe lower one, being moved relatively to the other die the washer ofcovering material is actively pressed against the edge of the eyeletflange, which causes the flange to cut into the covering material andthe projection 200 to advance through the hole in the washer. As theprojection advances through the washer the en larged portion st and theface 205 act on the inner and outer ed es of the washer and bend theseedges in substantially the manner indicated in F 6. This causes theouter edge portion of the washer to be bent slightly around theedge ofthe eyelet flange and also causes the inner edge portion of the washerto become wedged between the inner edge of the eyelet flange and theenlarged portion 520% of the projection, as also is indicated in Fig. 6.Thereafter as the movable die completes its stroke the pressure of thecovering material againstthe partially outturned flange of the eyeletand the wedging of the covering material between the enlarged portion204 and the base of the eyelet flan je bends or spreads said flange,while at the same time the flange is caused to cut into the washer, bothby the direct pressure of the flange against the washer and by thespreading of the flange, which causes its edge portion to move radiallyoutward into the washer, thus the flange is spread both by the pressureof the coverin material against its edge and by the wedging action ofthe covering material between the base of the eyelet and the enlargedportion of the die. While the flange of the eyelet is being spread tocut into and embed itself in the washer of covering material thecovering material is being pressed between the cooperating surfaces ofthe two dies to mold it upon both sides of the flange of the eyelet andto shape and smooth the exposed surface of the covering. The rim of thedie 10 is provided with a peripheral recess as shown to receive thecovering material on the lower side of the eyelet flange and mold itagainst the flange while the rim of the die itself supports the flangenear its base, as shown in Fig. 7, and prevents the flange from beingunduly spread or the eyelet from being crushed. As herein shown thebending of the washer of covering material is accompanied by the cuttinginto the material of the periphery of the flange of the eyelet blank.

It is to be understood that in the broadest aspect of the invention itis not essential that the eyelet or other blank have a con tinuous edgeportion, as the portion of the blank to which the covering material isattached may comprise merely tangs on projections located on the edge orany other part of the article and adapted to be engaged with thecovering material as the blank is formed into the desired article.

The operation of uniting the covering material and the article isfacilitated by heating or otherwise softening the covering material andthis may be done either before the operation of forming the article anduniting the covering material to it, or it may be done during theoperation, as for instance, by heating the dies. I prefer, however, totreat the covering material by heating or oth rwise to soften it beforepressing it upon the article to which it is to be united. It also shouldbe understood that the shaping of the blank and the pressing of thecovering material against the edge portion or projections thereof neednot be be un at the same time or extend through the same period, as oneof these steps may be begun in advance of the other or continue afterthe other has been completed. It is preferable, however, that someportion of the shaping of the blank take place while the coveringmaterial is being pressed against it as the best interlocking of thearticle with the covering material is obtained by so doing.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. The method of making eyelets which is characterized by bendingplastic. covering material around the edge oftlie flange of an integraleyelet blank, and then forcing the covering material against the underedge of said flange to form an annular locking shoulder of coveringmaterial extending substantially parallel with the body portion of thecovering material.

2. The method of making eyelets which consists in pressing coveringmaterial into contact with the upper face of the flange of an integraleyelet blank, bending the covering material around the edge of theflange, and pressing the covering material into contact with the lowerface of the flange to form an annular locking shoulder of coveringmaterial extending substantially parallel with the body portion of thecovering material.

3. The method of making eyelets which consists in pressing a washer ofcovering material upon the top face and downwardly within the flange ofan eyelet, bending the outer edge portion of the washer around the edgeof the eyelet flange and then forcing the bent portion of the washeragainst the under face of said flange.

4. The method of making eyelets which consists in pressing coveringmaterial into contact with the partially-formed flange of an eyeletblank, bending said material around the edge of the flange, bending theeyelet flange to impart the desired shape thereto and to interlock itsedge with the covering material and forcing the bent portion of thecovering material against the lower face of said flange.

5. The method of making eyelets which is characterized by bendingcovering material around the edge of the flange of an eyelet, holdingsaid material from spreading laterally and forcing the bent portion 'ofthe material against the lower face of the eyelet flange.

6. The method of making eyelets which consists in heating sheet plasticmaterial to soften it, bending said material around the edge of thepartially-formed flange of an eyelet blank and simultaneously spreadingthe eyelet flange outwardly and forcing the bent portion of the coveringmaterial against the lower face of the flange.

7. The method of making eyelets which consists in bending sheet materialabout the flange of an integral eyelet blank, forcing the centralportion of the material toward the barrel of the eyelet blank to shapethat portion of the material to the base of the flange and forcing theouter portion of the material into contact with the lower face of saidflange.

8. The method of making eyelets which consists in bending plasticcovering material around the edge of the flange of an eyelet blank,forcing the bent portion of the covering material against the lower faceof the flange and projecting a tool into the lacing passage to shape theadjacent material to the inner surface of the flange.

9. The method of making eyelets which consists in bending plasticcovering material around the edges of an eyelet flange, forcing the bentportion of the covering material against the lower face of the flange toform an annular locking shoulder of covering material extendingsubstantially parallel with the body portion of the covering materialand projecting a tool toward the lacing passage to shape the adjacentmaterial to the inner surface of the flange.

10. The method of making eyelets having a central lacing passage whichconsists in applying sheet material to the partially formed flange of aneyelet blank, bending said material around the edge of the flange,bending the eyelet flange to impart the desired shape thereto and tointerlock its edge with the covering material, forcing the bent portionof the covering material against the lower face of said flange, andprojecting a tool toward the lacing passage to reduce the thickness ofthat portion of the material applied to the base of the flange.

11. The method of making eyelets havinga central lacing passage whichconsists in applying sheet covering material to the partially formedflange of an eyelet blank, warming said material slightly to increaseits flexibility, bending said material around the edge of the flange,bending the eyelet flange to impart the desired shape thereto, and tointerlock its edge with the covering material, forcing the bent portionof the covering material against the lower face of said flange, andprojecting a tool toward the lacing passage to reduce the thickness ofthat portion of the material applied to the base of the flange.

12. The method of making eyelets which consists in bending plasticcovering material around the-edge of the flange of an eyelet and thenforcing the bent portion of the covering material against the lower faceof the flange.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN G. NEUBERTI-l.

lVitnesses Ann M. Gasman, FRANKLIN It. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

